Cooking with FOX 7: Vietnamese Banh Mi w/ Daikon & Carrot Pickles
Olivia Hayden from Whole Planet Foundation makes a banh mi recipe.
Whole Planet says there are eight main components to a great banh mi:
Bread - look for non-fancy bread with a soft crumb. Baguettes, torta, or Cubano rolls work well.
Fresh Chiles - Banh mi need a spicy element, so thinly sliced jalapenos or Fresno chiles work well
Cilantro - herbs add freshness. Cilantro is the traditional choice, but you can also add basil or mint!
Cucumber - cucumber adds a refreshing and crunchy element.
Seasoning Sauce - you can use soy sauce, tamari, or Bragg's liquid aminos
Mayonnaise - Mayo makes the sandwich richer, but salted butter or avocado can be used instead
Pickles - a proper banh mi sandwich must have pickles. We love the Daikon and Carrot Pickles recipe below
Meat or another filling - your filling can be tofu, grilled pork, ham, or turkey. Make sure your meat is not overly wet or saucy. The filling should be relatively dry and the ratio of meat to vegetables should be a visual ratio of 1:1 or 1:2.
Daikon and Carrot Pickles Recipe
Ingredients
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 pound daikons, each no larger than 2" in diameter, cut into matchsticks
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons plus ½ cup sugar
1 ¼ cups distilled white vinegar
1 cup lukewarm water
Process
Place the carrot and daikons in the bowl and sprinkle with salt and 2 teaspoons of the sugar. Knead with hands for about 3 minutes, expelling water from them. They will soften. Drain 9in a colander and rinse under cold water, then press gently to expel extra water.
To make the brine, combine ½ cup sugar, vinegar, and the water and stir to dissolve the sugar. Pour over the vegetables (the mixture should cover them). Let them marinate for at least 1 hour before eating. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.